Well packers are used to seal off annular spaces in wells. For example, a packer can be used to seal off a space radially between inner and outer tubular strings, or between a wellbore and a casing or liner string.
Packers can include setting mechanisms for longitudinally compressing one or more seal elements, so that the seal elements extend radially outward into sealing contact with an exterior surface. Setting mechanisms may also, or alternatively, be used for outwardly extending gripping devices or “slips” for gripping the exterior surface.
Therefore, it will be appreciated that improvements are continually needed in the arts of constructing and utilizing packers for use in wells. Such improvements could be incorporated into well packers, whether or not the packers include setting mechanisms which longitudinally compress seal elements and/or outwardly extend slips of the packers.